Re: Gilbert S. Berry of Worcester city, MA

Ralph - I still have family in Mass and plan to be there in the next few months at least once (late Feb) and maybe twice (poss late Jan too). I wouldn't mind checking out the info you desire, even if it takes me a few visits. My problem is that my grandfather died in 1934 when my dad was 12, my aunt 10. My grandmother (Margaret) was a Blanchard (her mom was a Shea) who also grew up in Worcester. She died in 1989 and we still have many living relatives from her side of the family. We know very little about my grandfather's (Berry) side. My aunt died in 2002, my dad in 2001. My aunt had a lot of family info from when she was young, and perhaps one of my cousins (her 2 daughters) have some info on the Berry side. What is your wife's relationship to Gilbert and Annie?

Interesting that you live in Pittsburgh. I've lived in Cleveland almost 24 yrs although my job in that area ended almost 5 yrs ago. I now work in Washington DC and drive home every few weeks. So I pass thru the Pgh area a lot. Where are you located? I'm familiar with the area from back about 1970 until the present, having known several people from there during college at that time. Perhaps we could get together for a cup of coffee on one of my trips. As I said, I still have relatives on my grandmother's side (mostly Gaumonds) who came from Worcester, and my 3 sisters still live in Conn and Mass (the reason I am there a few times each year). I'm intrigued by the Berry side of my family as it is the one side about which I know very little; all 3 other grandparents were alive at least 12 years of my life, while Gilbert died well before I was born.

My grandparents were marrried in Worcester in 1920 when Gilbert was 27-28 and Margaret was 21. The age difference suggests that they probably didn't meet until after my grandmother finished high school in 1916. So it's unlikely my grandmother knew much about his father, since he died in 1906, although I've heard or seen the name Annie Chambers several times in my life. A bit of irony - my dad lost his dad (who was 42) at age 12 who lost his dad (who was 39) at age 13-14. I felt a bit relieved when I made it past age 42, although the family health history as I know it isn't the greatest.

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